California's 278 state parks have been designated "endangered places." Will Prop 21 save the state's so-called "crown jewels" or is it a cynical ploy to restore the "car tax?" Prop 22 prevents the Governor and legislature from seizing money earmarked for cities and counties and spending it on state services. We hear the pros and cons of both measures, as well as why measures like these ever get on the ballot. On our rebroadcast of To the Point, home foreclosures and economic recovery.

FROM THIS EPISODE

California's 278 state parks have been designated "endangered places." Will Prop 21 save the state's so-called "crown jewels"… or is it a cynical ploy to restore the "car tax? Prop 22 prevents the Governor and the legislature from seizing money earmarked for cities and counties and spending it on state services. We hear the pros and cons of both measures, as well as why measures like these ever get on the ballot. On our rebroadcast of today's To the Point, massive foreclosure fraud threatens America's economic recovery. We hear about untrained "robo-signers" approving 500 foreclosures a day, and we raise a disturbing question: who really owns the mortgage on your home?

Proposition 21 would establish an $18 surcharge on vehicles when they’re registered every year, commercial vehicles and trailers excepted. The fee would raise $500 million a year to be spent on 278 state parks. The purpose of Prop 22 is to prevent the state from seizing money earmarked for cities, counties and various transportation projects and spending it instead on state services. Prop 21 is an initiative statute which could be changed. Prop 22 is a constitutional amendment, which could only be changed by the voters. Both are examples of what’s called “ballot-box budgeting” because they would limit the discretion of elected officials to spend money as circumstances require.